Painting in the streets

Discovery Street is gettin’ gritty for Rifflandia this year, thanks to the Victoria Arts Council and Atomique Productions.

Three Victoria artists — Nathan Davis, Kyle Barber, Clinton Brown and Jamie Byrne — took to the street Wednesday (Sept. 13) to paint a series of temporary graffiti murals for the festival. Stop by and check it out along the festival’s Electric Avenue.

“A lot of times graffiti gets a bad rap,” Davis says. “But there’s a lot of time and a lot of talent that goes into a piece like this. It’s awesome when someone comes to you and says we want this style of art from this style of artist and they come right to the source.”

Davis says Rifflandia gave them free reign, and just said, “give it a good, gritty street feel”.

“I live and work in Chinatown so the fact that it’s a music festival in my own neighbourhood makes it even better.”

Rifflandia runs until Sept. 17 at Royal Athletic Park and venues across the city.